Study on Preparation of Methyl Levulinate by Directional Alcoholysis of Bamboo Biomass

Abstract

The process of directional alcoholysis of cellulose and hemicellulose in bamboo was investigated using solid acid as catalyst and dialkoxymethane/lower alcohol as co-solvent. By adjusting the reaction conditions (composition and ratio of the co-solvent, the type and amount of solid acid catalyst, reaction temperature and time), the optimal reaction conditions are obtained (dimethoxymethane/methanol with a mass ratio of 5 g/15 g, the solid acid catalyst silicotungstic acid 0.002 mol, reaction time 120 min, and reaction temperature 200 ℃), the conversion of bamboo was 81.53 wt%, and the yield of methyl levulinate was 28.39 wt%. At the same time, the conversion process of a variety of biomass model compounds (xylose, glucose, furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, pentosan and microcrystalline cellulose) was studied in detail, then the fundamental mechanism of directional alcoholysis conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose to produce methyl levulinate was put forward according to the detection results of intermediate products in the reaction process.